Rosberg firm on cockpit protectors, 'haters will get over it'

Nico Rosberg has reiterated his view on the need for cockpit protectors and is confident the sport will get past the resistance to change

Nico Rosberg has reiterated his steadfast view on the need for cockpit protectors in F1 and is confident the sport will get past the resistance to the change in the same way it has vastly improved safety over the past two decades.

The Mercedes driver was one of the early backers of the cockpit protection devices, holding an opposing view to his team-mate Lewis Hamilton, and has been intrigued by the two prototypes released; the 'halo' concept Ferrari introduced at winter testing while Red Bull ran an alternative with its 'aeroscreen' in FP1 at the Russian Grand Prix.

Rosberg is keen to 'keep pushing safety' despite the compromises future F1 car designs may require and feels if it is a step towards saving lives then it is worthwhile. The F1 championship leader also voiced his opinion that rule-makers should ignore those against the protectors and hopes they will come around to his way of thinking.

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"We need it for sure, definitely. It is the biggest danger zone that still exists in our sport as we have seen with fatalities as well," Rosberg said. "It is an area that we need to keep pushing in safety and it's great to see that things are progressing and I'm confident that a solution will be found.

"All drivers are up for it and we are all well aware that it's not ideal for the purists, we are purists as well so we are well aware of the compromise. But in the history of the sport, every time safety has come about it has always been a compromise. Every episode you can talk about in the last 60 years there has been exactly the same moaning, exactly the same issues with the looks changing.

"Just think back to the cockpits being raised and not being able to see the driver anymore, every time it is the same. We just need to accept that hopefully the haters will get over it. Of course I accept it and understand it but I hope they get over it and we move in the right direction."